Waiting time for tier 3

[Cheshire Cat]

Hi jooz ..... Im looking forward to my appointment....... Not sure if it is the three tier Jobbie or not but not long to wait now. Have you been waiting long?? I think I have been lucky....... I asked back in August if I would be eligible for surgery and the doctor said immediately that he thought I would be..... He said he would get a letter off to the hospital straight away ..... A week later I got a call from the doctor to say I had to go in to fill out a questionnaire ..... Then 2 weeks later I got the appointment. Was expecting to wait ages!! Glad to get moving. Been thinking about it for a long time and was trying to get funds sorted to pay for it myself...... As I hadn't got the confidence to see a doctor about it ........... But something always come up....... And the money goes on other things! Fingers crossed I will be on my way soon x

 

[jooz0301]

I spoke to my doc in June then had lots of mucking around as in our area there was no tier 3 services so my ccg said i could go to the L and D and since then happened really quickly x

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Sorry but what is a CCG. And L & D???

 

[jooz0301]

Ccg is what our local NHS authorities are called, cant remember what they used to be lol but will find out x L & D is the Luton and Dunstable hospital xx Got my appointment confirmation letter yesterday got to fast from 10pm the nite before :-/

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I wonder what they will be testing for??? Mine just says it's an hour long appointment ..... Being a piggy today and not eating healthy at all ..... !!!

 

[jooz0301]

When is your appointment again?
I think they will test sugar and stuff. Gonna be a long drive there on an empty stomach lol x

 

[Cheshire Cat]

It's sooooo hard doing that fasting test. I am type 2 diabetic and have to have fasting tests quite frequently.... I am fine with out the food... It's the coffee that I need and most times the nurse that is doing the test is sat there drinking one!!! My appointment is at ten in the morning.... And just down the road!! Excited to see where I am going!!

 

[jooz0301]

Think our drive is 2 1/2 hours x i havnt had any blood tests for ages so who knows x

 

[sundowners]

Hi, where are you in Suffolk, I am from Lakenheath. I have almost finished my 6 month stint at Tier 3 with Addenbrooks Hospital in Cambridge, a referral letter is now being sent to my GP who then has to send a letter to the hospital I choose, that happens to be Luton & Dunstable as not too keen to go to a London Hospital. Not sure how long this will all take before I get an appointment, would like it sooner rather than later as have been on this journey since July 2012.

 

[jooz0301]

Hi I am in Beccles but know Lakenheath well as I used to live in Mildenhall. We have no tier 3 here and as Luton offers both tier 3 and 4 I am really happy to go there x

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Well I went for my appointment with the Weight Loss Management Team. It was a hour long appointment that was full of questions.... The dietitian said she would write a letter to my doctor on what she recommends and in the meantime I have to try and eat sensibly and at my next appointment in a month we will see how we are getting on. Think it is going to be a long process but at least I am in the system!

 

[jooz0301]

Frustrat?ng I bet x Did you have any blood tests done?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

No blood test for me. I am type 2 diabetic so they know that already! I think I will wait to see what the letter says when it comes and then review the situation and maybe book another appointment with the doctor to see if she can chivvy things along..... I am happy that I am in the system...... But 12 months is a long time to have to wait.... Specially as I have been monitored with the GP on a number of occasions for my weight so they know I need help :-(

 

[jooz0301]

Have you looked at the NICE guidelines ?

 

[Birdie01]

I was told not so long ago by one of the Why Weight senior dieticians that NHS has made it compulsory for everyone to attend tier 3 - either for 6 months with BMI over 50 or 12 months with a lower bmi - my GP tried to also move things forward for me and was rejected straight away and like you I have also been with my GP monitoring the weight it's a long wait unfortunately but thankfully there are short term goals in between which is making it to each appointment and before you know it the 12 or 6 months are over! The queue to get into surgery is also flipping long! That's where I'm at right now! You wait like 15 weeks just for the appointment before they even decide if you will go through! It's agonising! :-(

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I knew it was going to be a long process ....... So I just have to be patient. My BMI is 43 and I am diabetic so I was hoping that I would qualify for just attending 6 months, but it doesn't sound like that is the case... But hey ho!! At least I have my first foot on the ladder. I have tried to find as much info about it in my area - I am in Cheshire - but can't find anything . Hopefully when I get a copy of the letter that is going to be sent my doctor, things might be a bit clearer

 

[jooz0301]

We will get there in the end xx

 

[Cheshire Cat]

We will get there in the end ...... and on the positive side the dietician kept saying "when" I am put forward for surgery and not "if" ..... That sounds good to me!! My next appointment is 7th November and a good weight loss would be 5lb .... That will show that I am trying to change! Should be a doddle..... I don't think I have a problem with losing the weight...... It is keeping it off that is the problem!

 

[sundowners]

Went to my penultimate appointment with Addenbrookes yesterday. Have two weeks left of my tier 3 part. Got a copy of a letter they sent to my GP who now has to refer me to Luton & Dunstable Bariatric department (my choice), a copy of the letter was also sent to the Consultant Surgeon at L&D (Mr. Vigyan Jain). Thought I would look him up on the net to see if I could get any info. on him and came across this which I thought might of interest to some - bearing in mind that this info. is given by L&D, but the guidelines for NICE should be the same for everyone. Was also surprised to see that it is a 4 week wait for surgery from MDT, wonder if that is for private patients or NHS, does anyone know? Luton & Dunstable Hospital : Obesity Services (Bariatrics) click on 'the weigh to go'

Interesting about the BMI stats.

Pamala

 

[jooz0301]

Ooh exciting stuff x have you lost much weight during tier 3 ? I cant wait to go on Friday x